#auntie

malachi barton x fem!bsf!reader

warnings: fluff, slight teasing from family?

you were in the living room with malachi, his parents and family that decided to visit after he just came back from filming camp rock 3, right after the DZ: Worlds Collide tour.

malachi was completely out, face buried in the crook of your neck, arms draped limply around your waist like he’d been part of the couch for days. he was understandably tired, not able to rest fully for months. his breaths were slow and steady, little hums of comfort slipping out every now and then. you sat there, gently scratching at his scalp, fingers threading through his messy hair, letting him rest while the family quietly observed.

felicia leaned back in her chair, smiling fondly. “he’s completely at ease… only with her,” she murmured, sipping her tea.

loren chuckled softly. “he trusts her so much. you can see it in how heavy he is… he’s comfortable for the first time in months.”

mal’s aunt and uncle, still wide-eyed, were leaning in a little closer, whispering to each other. “wow… he’s really… just melted into her lap,” his aunt said, shaking her head in disbelief.

“i’ve never seen him like this,” his uncle added, smirking. “he’s usually all charm and energy. and now… look at him. glued.”

the little cousins continued to run around, squealing and bumping into furniture, but mal didn’t stir. he just shifted slightly every time someone bumped nearby, nuzzling deeper into your shoulder.

“are you sure you’re just friends?” his aunt teased quietly, looking at the way he melted into you. “doesn’t look like that to me.”

“bestest of friends, huh?” one of the little cousins piped up, leaning over the arm of the couch to get a better look. mal didn’t move—didn’t even flinch. he just exhaled softly, completely comfortable, letting you scratch at his scalp and play with his hair.

“he’s adorable,” another cousin said, smiling. “and you’re so… calm with him.”

you hummed softly, continuing to run your fingers through his hair, the warmth of his body pressed against you. the room was full of soft laughter and teasing, but you didn’t care. mal was completely out, trusting you completely, letting you be his safe spot while everyone around whispered and laughed about how ridiculously clingy and soft he was.

every now and then, mal made a little sleepy noise, shifting just enough to press closer into you again, and you smiled quietly, keeping him steady and warm, letting him fully relax in your lap while the family continued to chatter and tease.

in that moment, with mal fully asleep and your fingers threading through his hair, the chaos around you faded—everything else just softened around the two of you.

malachibartonsangel speaks:

this was a short one.

also, happy birthday freya skye!!

time's moving so fast, i can't believe she's sixteen already!

but, i hope she has the best sweet sixteen birthday.

thank you for reading, i hope you enjoyed it.

not proof read!!!

Aunt reader who use to read Damian stories before bed.

Aunt reader who’s voice is exactly like Talia’s

Aunt reader who use to tell Talia “let the boy have a day off, yk you would have killed to have a break when u were his age.”

Aunt reader who’s not that happy about Damian being trained when he was just 4 years old. (She doesn’t want him to go through the things her and Talia use to go through)

Aunt reader who was happy about Damian going with his father. He can finally get away from all that nonsense.

Aunt reader who only stayed with Ra and Talia for so long was so Damian could have a loving adult near.

Aunt reader who got into a fistfight with Talia about Damian

Aunt reader who left to the other side of the world when Damian left.

Talia: Sister, what brings u here… after five years.

Aunt reader putting her sunglasses on top of her head, while holding a coffee: well I heard that Damian’s father allowed u to have visits with him, now where does his father live?

Talia: you shell not try and walk into my sons life just like that , you have not had contact with me for years! And how did u find that out?

Aunt reader: I have eyes and ears everywhere. I may have left the League but the league has not left me… Now where does my Nephew stay? Mattter of fact when does he come to visit u?

Talia: Where my son is currently resting is nun of your business.

Aunt reader: ahh sister do not be like that.. one of or another I will find out where he is.. and u will not be able to 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 me..

No one warns you what it’s like to become an aunt overnight to not one, not two, but four kids at the same time. You think you’re signing up for the occasional birthday party, maybe babysitting once in a while, a cute drawing stuck to your fridge. Instead, you find yourself knee-deep in chaos, laughter, and at least one child trying to eat dog poop. (Yes, really. That happened. And no, I’ll never emotionally recover from it.)

Meet my squad: Claire and Rose, my boyfriend’s sister’s kids, and Mary and John Frank, my boyfriend’s brother’s kids. Together, they are four tiny hurricanes with sticky fingers, big personalities, and an unshakable belief that I’m both their favorite playmate and a grown-up responsible enough to stop them from burning the house down. Spoiler: I am neither.

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Claire: The Mischief Queen

Claire is what you’d call a hands-on learner. She doesn’t believe in the phrase “don’t touch that.” She believes in experimenting. She once ate dog poop just to see what it tasted like. (For the record, I did not encourage this science experiment, nor do I recommend it.) Another time, she figured out how to turn the stove on all by herself. Nothing says “instant heart attack” like seeing a toddler casually twisting a burner knob while humming to herself like she’s in a Disney movie.

Claire is the definition of a wild child—equal parts mischief and charm, with a will that could bend steel if she set her mind to it. She has this fearless streak that keeps everyone on their toes, whether she’s sneaking snacks like a tiny bandit or testing the laws of gravity by climbing anything taller than she is. Her humor comes naturally—those mischievous grins, the dramatic giggles after pulling off some stunt—and even when she’s driving you half mad, she somehow makes you laugh in the middle of it. Claire doesn’t just live life loudly, she charges at it headfirst, with all the energy of a toddler who has absolutely no intention of slowing down.

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Rose: The Foodie Comedian

Rose is my spirit animal. This girl has two settings: ignoring everything you say, or eating with such commitment that you wonder if she’s in training for a hot dog–eating contest. She’s the type of kid who, when you tell her “no more snacks,” will look you dead in the eye while simultaneously sneaking goldfish crackers into her mouth.

She’s effortlessly hilarious—the kind of kid who can make you laugh when you’re trying your hardest to be serious. If Claire is chaos, Rose is comedy. She’ll ignore every rule with a straight face, then do something so absurd you can’t help but crack up. How are you supposed to stay stern when the same child who just launched LEGOs across the room is now twirling around the kitchen, holding a granola bar like it’s her microphone and she’s headlining a sold-out show? With Rose, even the mischief comes with a punchline.

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Mary: The Quiet Genius

Mary is the brains of the operation. She’s sharp, observant, and always watching. You can almost see the gears turning in her head as she calculates the best way to get what she wants. She’s like a tiny CEO with a clipboard. If you tell her no, she won’t throw a tantrum—she’ll circle back in ten minutes with a PowerPoint presentation of why you’re wrong.

Spending time with Mary feels less like babysitting and more like being interviewed for a job you didn’t know you applied for. She’ll just look at you like, “And what qualifies you to be our aunt?” And honestly? She’s not wrong.

Mary also has a way of making you feel like you’re part of her grand plan—even if you’re not sure what that plan actually is. She’ll hand you a toy, give you a look, and suddenly you realize you’ve been drafted into some elaborate scheme she’s orchestrating. She doesn’t just play house; she runs it. And somehow, you’re always reporting to her

---

John Frank: The Thinker

Then there’s John Frank. He’s smart like Mary, but quieter about it. He’s the type of kid who will sit back, let the chaos unfold, and then calmly say something so insightful it makes the adults in the room stop and stare. Like, “Did you know dinosaurs probably had feathers?” And you’re just standing there holding a juice box, wondering why you suddenly feel like you need to go back to school.

John Frank is also the most likely to remind you that kids are always paying attention, even when you think they aren’t. He’ll repeat something you said three weeks ago word-for-word, which is both impressive and terrifying.

John Frank also has this way of observing the world that feels older than his years. He’ll watch everything play out, take it all in, and then drop a thought so perfectly timed it feels like wisdom disguised in a kid’s voice. It’s never loud or showy, just simple and true. Being around him reminds you that sometimes the softest presence can carry the most weight.

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Me: The Fun Aunt (and the “What Have I Done?” Aunt)

Somehow, in the middle of this four-child circus, I’ve earned the title of fun aunt. I’m the one who sneaks them extra snacks, laughs at the jokes their parents would roll their eyes at, and lets them dance on the couch when we’re supposed to be “winding down.” I’m also the one who gets tackled the second I walk in the door. There’s no such thing as a casual entrance when four kids are sprinting at you like linebackers.

But I’m also the what have I gotten myself into aunt. The one who lies in bed at night wondering how four people under the age of ten managed to completely outsmart me, again. The one who thinks babysitting will be “chill” and then ends up Googling “how to get slime out of hair” at 11 p.m.

It’s a strange balance, being the aunt who wants to say yes to all the fun but also knows that yes sometimes leads to Claire cooking the family dog.

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The Chaos is the Point

Here’s the thing: as much as I joke about the chaos, the truth is—I wouldn’t trade it. Being an aunt to four wild kids at once is exhausting, hilarious, terrifying, and heart-melting all rolled into one. It’s the sound of giggles echoing through the house, the little arms wrapping around your neck, the sticky kisses you swore you didn’t want but secretly love.

It’s Claire’s mischief, Rose’s laughter, Mary’s sharp questions, and John Frank’s quiet wisdom. It’s being the person who isn’t quite a parent but isn’t just a random adult either. It’s finding out that love can look like holding sticky hands, answering a million “why” questions, and laughing until your stomach hurts because Rose just announced she wants to marry pizza.

Yes, they’re wild. Yes, they’re exhausting. But they’re also four of the best reasons I’ve ever had to show up, to laugh more, and to find joy in the chaos.

Enid: *spooning oatmeal in her daughter's mouth* Come on Dahlia say mama *smiles at her with a very proud smile*

Dahlia: *stares straight into Enid's soul* m-m.. murder

Enid: *almost chokes on air* Uh.. wow.. so.... expressive?

Wednesday: *sipping her black coffee, very much unimpressed* Finally.. proper Vocabulary.

Enid: *looks at Wednesday like 'stfu already'*